Rooted Nook Simple Touch/Android v.2.1 and Third-Party .apk File Permissions

[Casparov]

Hi, Everyone...

I am a person of very little experience w/ mobile devices but have recently rooted (w/ serious help from a how-to) a Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch e-reader and enabled Android v. 2.1. It is a much more versatile system now w/ several apps allowing me to do much more than the stock device.

However. I cannot use any apps from GooglePlay (the site will not allow my device to access the apps because it does not meet the audio and video requirements), which severely limits the reader's flexibility. I have been able to make use of several excellent programs from the Amazon App Store, but it seems that I can only install those apps which are not third party .apk files. Consequently, my Amazon Kindle app is a very early version, limited in functionality but proprietary, while there are many later, third party versions available elsewhere on the Web.

My device has a couple of .apk app installers installed, but they will not even recognize the presence of a third party .apk on the SD card or on the main memory of the reader. I have the well-regarded "Root Explorer" app installed and, while it will locate the target third-party .apk file, the install command only results in the same error that there is an inability to parse the program. Further, I have read that Android devices usually have a menu system w/ access to system settings allowing a check to the option "allow third party sources", but my device has no such menu system, and I have not been able to install any app that would install such a menu (due to the same problem about third party sourced app files).

I have done quite a lot of searching as how to solve this problem but have given up--this is a bit frustrating because I feel that my experience must be encountered by many others having run up against the roadblock presented by the GooglePlay site.

I wonder, is there any way to access GooglePlay so that I might install many apps conforming to Android v.2.1? Is there any way to allow permission to third party sources that does not require a menu that my device does not have? Does anybody know of a reliable source for a Kindle Reader app that is not third-party sourced? (interestingly, the two primitive Kindle apps that are recognized by my device also show the Kindle logo on the app file; the other, later Kindle app versions have the Android logo.)

I would appreciate, so much, any help w/ this, and, as I say, I imagine that my problem is the experience many others, as well.

Thank you very much to all those who have read and/or reply to this post.

Regards, C.

 

[kigmatzomat]

There are two problems. First, is that the NST's android is old and somewhat stripped down, so many current apks won't work because the codebase they depend on are not present on the NST. That's why you find yourself using the older, 3rd party Kindle apps that are no longer officially distributed. There's no real work around for that.

The other is simpler; you need to get a copy of the NookColorTools app, which includes an "allow non-market app" button. Well, most of them do. I would go check the XDA Developer forums. I found a link to an NCT that had the "allow non-market app" button.

You can also search there for a package that includes the market app. I haven't managed to get mine to work and I suspect it may be due to the latest Play store update but it could be that I used the NookManager package to root my NST. I forget the name but it was an acronym like NGAINT.
The Play Store search doesn't work but once your device is connected you can log into the Play website using your google account to search & select apps. They will show up on your device's "my apps" area on the Play Store app where you can install them.

Not many people have rooted their NST. I did mine the other day before I do some traveling.